Welcome

My name is Professor Keith Brown and I was the founding Director of the National Centre for Social Work.  This Centre leads in the most complex and difficult areas of social work and care within our society.  I have also acted as a Government advisor in these areas for over 15 years.   I have chaired the NHS Safeguarding Adults National Network which oversees and produces guidance on all areas of adult safeguarding.  In addition, I chair three regional Safeguarding Boards.  My other main role is leading the national research into fraud and scams for the National Scams Team, and I am a member of the National Capacity Leadership Forum. 

 

Over the years I have published many textbooks for health and social care professionals and produced numerous governmental reports and national professional practice guides. This website is designed to make as many of these publications freely available to hard pressed health and social care professionals, with the sincere desire that they help to improve and maintain the best possible standards in our society.

 

My professional practice has always been inspired and influenced by my faith.  I have been a Christian for over 50 years and during this time I have always felt a calling to work with the most vulnerable and marginalised in our society, hence my work as a Professor of Social Work, the Director of the National Centre and Government advisor. 

 

I have committed significant time to help faith-based organisations; I am a board member for Moorlands College, an ambassador for Faith in Later Life and a trustee for the charity AtaLoss which supports people experiencing bereavement. I chair Love Southampton, an organisation that represents the social action of the churches in Southampton to the welfare state in areas such as food banks, debt advice and supporting refugees and the homeless.

 

I have therefore divided the resources sections of this website into four areas so that professionals and faith-based organisations can easily find resources that relate to their interests.  However, please note that all the resources in this website are relevant to those working with vulnerable and marginalised people.

 

For those of you working in the faith-based sector there is material on ministry to older people, how to prevent fraud and scams, how to manage teams effectively and prevent stress and burnout, managing end of life care issues including the value and use of Lasting Powers of Attorney, plus Government funded evaluations of the impact of food banks and of the work of churches to support refugees and asylum seekers. 

 

Please share these free resources with your church communities with confidence knowing that they are based on the very best available understanding and policy.  It is my desire and prayer that these resources will enable you to offer the very best pastoral care and support in your ministry area.

 

Finally, I wish to thank all those who have contributed to writing these guides – you are an inspiration to me and also great friends.  Let’s together continue in our quest to reduce harm, support the marginalised and make our society a better place for all.

 

Professor Keith Brown